Gaming

Hearthstone review A brilliantly-streamlined take on the collectible card game and a free-to-play title that doesn't bog you down in microtransactions

The Novelist review The stealth mechanics feel a little superficial at times, but this moving exploration of family life is decision-based gaming at its best

Octodad: Dadliest Catch review Short but sweet, this hilarious tale of an octopus posing as a human will have you grinning from ear to ear in no time

Broken Sword 5: The Serpent’s Curse review A sound plot, excellent voice acting and great dialogue all help make this mystery one of our favourite recent adventure games

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance review One of the best hack & slash brawlers for years, Revengeance oozes style

Knytt Underground review This tranquil platformer has moments of brilliance, but we suspect it won't be enough to sustain most players

Scan Steam Box – more details emerge We talk to Scan's Technical Marketing manager James Gorbold about the custom-made box from Bolton built for living room PC gaming thrills

Zoo Tycoon Cutesy, kid-friendly fun, but Zoo Tycoon lacks challenge and misses an opportunity to shine a light on conservation

Need for Speed: Rivals review Drop-in multiplayer and hectic open world racing gives the Need for Speed series a much-needed nitrous boost

Killzone Shadow Fall review Technically brilliant, but this solid shooter doesn't fully achieve its huge potential

Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag review Blend an assassin and a pirate and you get something awesome but not radically different

Ryse: Son of Rome review A great looking, stab-happy history lesson that’s all style and no substance

FIFA 14 (Xbox One) review Graphically superior but lacking in content compared to the current generation